Monday, July 20, 2015

NASHVILLE (BP) -- At least three mainline Protestant denominations have celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court's nationwide legalization of gay marriage, and others say they are divided on the issue.

With a new Associated Press poll suggesting decreased support for same-sex marriage among Americans generally, a watchdog group that monitors mainline bodies said gay-affirming denominations are more progressive regarding marriage than the culture. Read More

WOODSTOCK, Ga. (BP) -- A single Marine flag stood in place at the orchestra chair where Skip Wells had played the clarinet for many years at First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga.

Members of the Atlanta-area church took time to pray Sunday (July 19) for the families of Lance Cpl. Skip Wells, 21, and four other servicemen killed by a gunman who attacked a military recruitment office July 16 a little more than an hour away in Chattanooga, Tenn. Read More

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (BP) -- Residents in Fayetteville, Ark., will once again vote on an ordinance aimed at protecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community Sept. 8.

Passed by the Fayetteville City Council in a 6-2 vote June 16, Ordinance 5781 is a revised version of a similar civil rights law originally passed in August 2014 by the council. The law was repealed by a popular vote in December. Read More

EDMONTON, Alberta (BP) -- Long days have become the standard for Nathan Vedoya, a bi-vocational church planter in Alberta, Canada.

There's no such thing as a typical day. But on many of them he wakes up early, shares the breakfast-making responsibilities with his wife, and drops the kids off at school. He then goes to his full-time job as the shelter manager for a local mission. His wife Deen-Deen also heads out to a full day of work at around the same time. Read More

SPRINGDALE, Ark. (BP) -- I am doing something I never thought I would do, and God is using it powerfully.

We are preaching a summer series on Southern Baptists' statement of faith, The Baptist Faith and Message 2000. There are 18 articles in the BF&M 2000; therefore, we have combined some to fit into this 13-week series. Read More

Formed in 1946 by the Southern Baptist Convention, and supported with Cooperative Program funds, Baptist Press (BP) is a daily (Monday-Friday) international news service. Operating from a central bureau in Nashville, Tenn., BP works with a large network of contributing writers, photographers and editorial providers to produce BP News.